How To Study How A Pre Service Science Teacher'S Cognitive Structure About Technology Changes

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1 ISSN Special Issue: Selected papers presented at WCNTSE DEVELOPING PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS COGNITIVE STRUCTURES ABOUT TECHNOLOGY: WORD ASSOCIATION TEST (WAT) a Betül TİMUR & b Mehmet Fatih TAŞAR a Assist Prof., Çanakkale 18 Mart University, [email protected] b Assoc. Prof., Gazi University, [email protected] Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the development of senior pre-service science teachers cognitive structures about technology. Cognitive structures about technology were investigated by using a Word Association Test (WAT). In order to construct the WAT, eight words were selected. WAT was used as a pre- post test to thirty senior pre-service science teachers. The study constructed in spring semester Pre-service teachers designed technology supported instruction and presented to their peers who acted as pupils. In the analyze procedure, meaningful responses were accepted and counted for each key word than frequency table was prepared. Concept map was drawn by using the frequency table. To draw concept maps, the cut-off point was determined to be 25-up. Also t-test pair wise comparisons were calculated. When the pre-concept maps were examined, it was found that pre-service science teachers cognitive structures about technology were generally at the novice level. For example, they associate educational technology with computers. Furthermore, when the post- concept maps were examined pre-service science teachers responses were improved in general. As a consequence there was increasement in association rate and also the number of associated words. Keywords: Word Association Test, Cognitive Structure, Pre-Service Science Teachers, Technology Supported Teaching. INTRODUCTION Word Association Test (WAT) is one of the most common and oldest methods for investigating cognitive structures and has been used by several researchers (Cachapuz & Maskill, 1987; Gussarsky & Gorodetsky, 1988; Bahar, Johnstone & Sutcliffe, 1999; Taşar, 2001; Bahar & Öztatlı, 2003; Aydın & Taşar, 2010, Ercan, Taşdere & Ercan, 2010; Ören, Ormancı, Babacan, Koparan, & Çiçek 2011). Understanding how students acquire knowledge is always an important issue for science education researchers. (Tsai & Huang, 2001). Participants cognitive structure about technology was investigated by WAT. METHOD This study aims to examine how senior pre-service science teachers cognitive structures about technology changes during a technology and design course that involves technology supported teaching. The research question is that What is the effect of using technology supported teaching to enhance pre-service science teachers cognitive structures about technology? For this purpose Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN

2 2011 Developıng Pre-Servıce Scıence Teachers Cognıtıve Structures About Technology: Word WAT was used. In order to construct the WAT, eight words were selected. The selected words were; computer, educational technology,,, educational software, animation, simulation, and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK). Each key word was written at the top of the page in WAT. Pre-service science teachers were required to write maximum ten responses for each key word that they recalled associated with that key word. We gave 10 seconds for each word. WAT was used as a pre- post test to thirty senior pre-service science teachers participated in the study in spring semester The senior pre-service science teachers were taking a technology and project design course which was being taught by the researcher during the period of the study. Pre-service teachers designed technology supported instruction and presented to their peers who acted as pupils. In the analyze procedure, meaningful responses were accepted and counted for each key word than frequency table was prepared. Concept map was drawn by using the frequency table. To draw concept maps, the cut-off point was determined (Bahar, Nartgün, Durmuş & Bıçak, 2006) to be 25-up. Next, this cut-off point was lowered three times and following concept maps were drawn for each cut-off point. Also t-test pair wise comparisons were calculated. FINDINGS For each key word than frequency table was prepared. Concept map was drawn by using the frequency table. To draw concept maps, the cut-off point was determined to be 25-up. Next, this cut-off point was lowered three times and following concept maps were drawn for each cut-off point. A sample concept map is shown below: Pre-test concept map: Cut-off point Smart Board 132 Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN

3 Developıng Pre-Servıce Scıence Teachers Cognıtıve Structures About Technology: Word 2011 Post-test concept map: Cut-off point Projection Motion Animation Experiment Interactive Pre-test concept map: Cut-off point Interpretation Projectile Smart Board Cyclopes Presentation Mouse Animation Amusement News Communication Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN

4 2011 Developıng Pre-Servıce Scıence Teachers Cognıtıve Structures About Technology: Word Post-test concept map: Cut-off point Projectile Motion Animation Amusement Experiment Phone Kraker Ensouling Technology TPCK Teacher Interactive Knowledge Facebook Communication Pre-test concept map: Cut-off point 5-9 Permanent Ensouling Animation Amusement Cartoon Smart Board Cyclopes Projectile Presentation PowerPoint Mouse Microscope Student CD Technology TV Game Phone Tangible Facebook TPAB Video Chat News Ease Communication Visual Education 134 Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN

5 Developıng Pre-Servıce Scıence Teachers Cognıtıve Structures About Technology: Word 2011 Post-test concept map: Cut-off point 5-9 Tangible Motion Animation Amusement Experiment Ensouling Projectile Smart Board CD Video Microscope Game Presentation PowerPoint Technology Commu. Phone Kraker Visual Safe Technology TPAB Content Teacher Knowl.. Facebook Communication Interactive When the pre-concept maps were examined, it was found that pre-service science teachers cognitive structures about technology were generally at the novice level. For example, they associate educational technology with computers. Furthermore, when the post- concept maps were examined pre-service science teachers responses were improved in general. As a consequence there was an increasement in association rate and also the number of associated words (Table 2). In addition, this increasement is remarkable in that the concepts presented in the test (Table 1). Table 1. Results of Paired-Sample t-tests for Total Reponses N M Sd Min Max Df t p Pre test Post Test * *Significant at the. 05 level. Pre and post-test means were calculated for the meaningful responses of pre-service teacher. There were significant improvements between pre and post scores on meaningful responses to each key word. For the paired sample t-test, results indicate significant increase for all constructs. This means pre-service science teachers responses to each keyword were improved as compared to the pre test (Table 2). Chat Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN

6 2011 Developıng Pre-Servıce Scıence Teachers Cognıtıve Structures About Technology: Word Table 2. Responses for each key word Key word Number of word Pre test Post test Animation TPCK Educational technology Educational software Total DISCUSSION and CONCLUSION This study indicates that pre-service science teachers cognitive structures about technology improve during a technology and design course that involves technology supported teaching. When the pre-concept maps were examined, it was found that pre-service science teachers cognitive structures about technology were generally at the novice level. For example, they associate educational technology with computers. Furthermore, when the post- concept maps were examined pre-service science teachers responses were improved in general. As a consequence there was increasement in association rate and also the number of associated words. In addition, this increase is remarkable in that the concepts presented in the test. The results of our study are quite compatible with the findings of literature (Bahar & Öztatlı, 2003; Aydın & Taşar, 2010, Ercan, Taşdere & Ercan, 2010) and support them. REFERENCES Aydın, F. & Taşar, M. F. (2010). An Investigation Of Pre-Service Science Teachers Cognitive Structures and Ideas About The Nature Of Technology, Ahi Evran Ünv. Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 11(4), Bahar, M., Johnstone, A. H. & Sutcliffe, R. (1999). Investigation of students cognitive structure in elementary genetics through word association tests. Journal of Biological Education, 33, Bahar, M., Nartgün, Z., Durmuş, S. & Bıçak, B. (2006). Geleneksel ve alternatif ölçme değerlendirme öğretmen el kitabı. Ankara: PegemA Yayıncılık. Bahar, M. & Öztatlı, N. S. (2003). Kelime İletişim Test Yöntemi İle Lise 1. Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Canlıların Temel Bileşenleri Konusundaki Bilişsel Yapılarının Araştırılması, BAÜ Fen Bil. Enst. Dergisi, Cachapuz, A. F. C. & Maskill, R. (1987). Detecting changes with learning in the organization of knowledge: use of word association tests to follow the learning of collision theory. International Journal of Science Education, 9, Ercan,F., Taşdere, A. & Ercan, N. (2010). Kelime İlişkilendirme Testi Aracılığıyla Bilişsel Yapının ve Kavramsal Değişimin Gözlenmesi, TÜFED, 7(2), Gussarsky, E. & Gorodetsky, M. (1988). On the equilibrium concept: constrained word associations 136 Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN

7 Developıng Pre-Servıce Scıence Teachers Cognıtıve Structures About Technology: Word 2011 and conception. Journal of in Science Teaching, 25, Taşar, M. F. (2001). A case study of a novice college student's alternative framework and learning of force and motion. PhD Thesis. The Pennsylvania State University. Tsai, C-C. & Huang, C-M. (2001). Development of Cognitive Structures and Information Processing Strategies of Elementary School Students Learning About Biological Reproduction. Journal of Biological Education, 36 (1), Ören, Ş. F., Ormancı, Ü., Babacan, T., Koparan, S. & Çiçek, S. (2011). Analoji ve Araştırmaya Dayalı Öğrenme Yaklaşımı Temelli Rehber Materyal Geliştirme Çalışması: Madde ve Değişim Öğrenme Alanı, Kuramsal Eğitimbilim, 4 (2), Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN

8 2011 Developıng Pre-Servıce Scıence Teachers Cognıtıve Structures About Technology: Word 138 Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences (WAJES), Dokuz Eylul University Institute, Izmir, Turkey ISSN